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Boba drink cost calculator

Work out what one drink really costs to make, your profit and margin, and the lowest price that hits your target. It starts with a real taro milk tea from our shop: change anything to match yours.

What goes into one drink

How you buy each thing, what you pay, and how much one drink uses. Include the cup, lid, straw and seal.

  • Cost in one drink$0.794

  • Cost in one drink$0.176

  • Cost in one drink$0.220

  • Cost in one drink$0.159

  • Cost in one drink$0.085

  • Cost in one drink$0.092

  • Cost in one drink$0.012

  • Cost in one drink$0.018

Cost $1.55 · margin 76.2%

The taro example uses our shop's real menu price and supplier costs; recipe amounts are typical for boba. Every number is worked out with the same costing code BiteMetrics uses for your whole menu.

How to work out what a drink costs

  1. 01

    List what goes in the cup

    Every ingredient and every piece of packaging: tea, milk, creamer, syrup, pearls, the cup, the seal and the straw.

  2. 02

    Write down how you buy each one

    For example a 5 lb bag of taro powder for $60.00, a gallon of milk for $5.00, or 1,000 cups for $92.00.

  3. 03

    Work out the cost of one gram, ml or piece

    Divide the price by the amount. $60.00 for 5 lb (2,268 g) is about 2.6¢ a gram. If some of it gets thrown away, divide by the part you actually use.

  4. 04

    Multiply by how much one drink uses

    30 g of taro powder at 2.6¢ a gram is about 79¢. Add up every line, packaging included.

  5. 05

    Compare it with your selling price

    Profit is price minus cost. Margin is profit divided by price. Food cost % is cost divided by price.

cost per gram = price paid ÷ (amount bought × share used)
drink cost = Σ (amount in the cup × cost per unit)
margin = (price − cost) ÷ price · food cost % = cost ÷ price

Questions

Want this for your whole menu, with sizes and add-ons? Start free.

How do I calculate the cost of a boba drink?
Add up the cost of everything in one cup. For each ingredient, divide what you paid by the amount you bought to get the cost per gram, ml or piece, then multiply by how much one drink uses. Include the cup, seal and straw.
What's the difference between margin and food cost %?
They are two sides of the same number. Food cost % is cost divided by price; margin is profit divided by price. A drink with a 24% food cost has a 76% margin.
Does this include rent and wages?
No. It's the ingredient and packaging cost only, the part that changes with every cup you sell. Rent, wages and card fees come out of the margin.
How should I count waste?
Enter the share of what you buy that never reaches a cup, like milk that goes off or pearls tossed at the end of a batch. The calculator spreads the price over the part you actually use.
Is my data saved?
No. Nothing you type here is stored or sent anywhere; it stays in your browser. To save your menu and get alerts when supplier prices change, create a free BiteMetrics account.